Lexus has confirmed Australian specifications for the stylish and agile new UX 300e, with the luxury lifestyle brand’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV) combining Lexus-trademark quality and craftsmanship with UX-flagship performance and handling.
Drawing together 15 years of experience in electric motor, battery and inverter technology, the UX 300e offers BEV customers unrivalled long-term expertise and the highest build quality borne from the exacting standards of the Lexus Takumi.
Uncompromising durability and fit-and-finish will also be matched by a class-leading ownership experience as part of the renowned Encore owner benefits program, set to be announced along with pricing and rapid charging information in November, 2021.
The UX 300e further introduces a new standard of performance and dynamism to the luxury compact SUV model line, with a responsive powertrain delivering instant power and torque combined with a lower centre of gravity comparable to a coupe.
UX 300e will be offered in Luxury and Sports Luxury grades, bringing the total Lexus UX variant choice to 10 and providing customers with a portfolio of advanced powertrain choices: petrol UX 200, hybrid-electric UX 250h and electric UX 300e.
Even the UX 300e Luxury will feature the extremely high level of specification expected from Lexus, including heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, heated steering wheel and a 13-speaker Mark Levinson®1 audio system.
Key highlights shared with the UX 250h Luxury with Enhancement Pack 2 include LED headlamps and foglamps, smart entry & start, power operated tailgate, a power adjustable steering column, eight-way power adjustable front seats, a 7.0-inch driver display, 10.3-inch display screen, Apple CarPlay®2 and Android Auto™3 compatibility, DAB+ digital radio and wireless smartphone charging4.
The standard Lexus Safety System+ includes a pre-collision system featuring pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, all-speed radar active cruise control, lane trace assist, road sign assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking support brake with obstacle and vehicle detection5.
This is in addition to a blind-spot monitor5, automatic high beam, front and rear parking sensors and eight airbags.
The UX 300e Luxury can be distinguished from other Luxury-grade UX variants on the outside by unique 17-inch alloy wheels, UX 300e tailgate badging and rear-side door ELECTRIC badging.
The ultimate in style and opulence is delivered with the flagship UX 300e Sports Luxury, which is differentiated from the Luxury by 18-inch alloy wheels, a moonroof, acoustic front-side glass and tri-beam LED headlamps with an adaptive high-beam system5.
Takumi craftsmanship is further advanced with the addition of 3D-look illumination inside each front air vent bezel, as well as ornamentation inspired by Japanese paper called Washi.
Washi is a grained paper finish used on traditional shoji sliding doors found in Japanese homes, with the dashboard finish providing an authentic, textured feel.
This level of craftsmanship is complemented by the addition of a colour head-up display, panoramic view monitor, high-grade leather-accented seats, and high-grade finishes for the door garnish, instrument panel cluster and console box cover.
Every UX 300e also debuts a new transmission shift knob combining genuine leather and satin chrome plating, giving the impression of pure metal being wrapped in a smooth, supple stitched material.
A knurled finish for both the drive mode select and audio volume dials further highlights an intense focus on textural tactility combined with usability.
A striking new deep grey called Sonic Chrome6 has been added to the UX exterior colour palette. It joins Sonic Quartz, Mercury Grey, Titanium, Onyx, Graphite Black, Caliente, Carnelian, Khaki Metal and Celestial Blue.
The UX 300e Luxury is available with Black or Rich Cream upholstery trim.
The UX 300e Sports Luxury is available with Black, Rich Cream, as well as exclusive White Ash, Ochre or a unique Zephyr Blue that combines black, blue and light grey colours for a sportier look6.
Sports Luxury-exclusive Washi trim is also available in brown, black and cobalt blue hues, while its luxurious upholstery is accentuated by Sashiko quilting that combines with geometric perforation patterns to provide additional visual quality.
Lexus Australia Chief Executive Scott Thompson said the specifications for the new UX 300e were strategically designed to further leverage the unique attributes of the first Lexus BEV.
“We are thankful that customers have the highest trust in Lexus electric expertise and we understand they prioritise exacting build quality and detailed craftsmanship,” Mr Thompson said.
“The UX 300e further advances these values from the successful hybrid UX 250h, offering a new standard of performance and handling in our luxury compact SUV and a soon-to-be-announced ownership package that will set a new standard for BEVs.”
The Lexus UX 300e is both the most powerful and the fastest UX.
With an electric motor delivering 150kW of power and 300Nm of instant torque, the UX 300e can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 7.5 seconds.
Special sound deadening measures have been employed for the UX 300e.
Additional noise insulation materials have been fitted around the tyres, fender panels and electric motor unit to create an even quieter cabin, while the UX 300e Sports Luxury moves refinement to a maximum level with acoustic front-side glass.
The UX 300e also advances the dynamic pedigree of the UX range.
The 54.3kWh lithium-ion battery package is strategically placed under the vehicle floor, lowering the centre of gravity by such a degree that it is comparable to that of a sports coupe.
This is helped by a front-axle-mounted electric motor that is placed much lower in the engine bay and weighs approximately half the weight of a conventional petrol engine. The removal of exhaust hardware has enabled the boot floor to be lowered and it provides 11 litres of underfloor volume for neat charging cable storage.
For the first Lexus BEV, the battery pack has been integrated into the chassis to improve torsional rigidity and further strength has been exclusively applied to the steering gearbox mount and front suspension member.
This forms part of a UX 300e-exclusive suspension system featuring front and rear performance dampers (bracing), a hollow stabiliser bar and shock absorber tuning specific to 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels – with the friction characteristics of the oil, oil seals, rod guide and piston band optimised to best control unsprung mass.
The multi-link independent rear suspension further gains increased arm rigidity and optimised bushes to further advance the Lexus Driving Signature and deliver a rewarding blend of ride comfort and handling balance.
The UX 300e upgrades to ventilated rear disc brakes for the first time on a UX, matching the ventilated front disc brakes.
Regenerative braking can be adjusted via the steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters, with four levels available to dial in a degree of slight braking force when the accelerator is lifted that best suits driver preferences. The standard 7.0-inch colour driver display also now features EV-specific information such as the selected regenerative braking strength.
The UX 300e has a driving range of 360km7 for an optimal balance of performance, range and lower kerb weight to maximise handling agility.
Driving range is aided by several EV-specific aerodynamic enhancements, including grille shutters, underbody covers and aerodynamically optimised wheels to help maximise driving range.
Further details on the flagship Lexus UX 300e will be revealed closer to the launch of the first-ever Lexus EV in November.
UX 300e Luxury highlights
• Electric motor, 54.3kWh lithium-ion battery (new to UX)
• Maximum combined output 150kW/300Nm (new to UX)
• Drive Mode Select – ECO, NORMAL and SPORT
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Ventilated front disc brakes
• Ventilated rear disc brakes (new to UX)
• LED headlamps with auto static levelling and washers
• LED foglamps, tail lamps & cornering lamps
• Daytime running lights
• Exterior mirrors with auto power folding and heating
• Roof rails
• Acoustic windshield
• Rear privacy glass
• Power tailgate with kick sensor
• Smart entry & start
• Smart key card
• Illuminated entry
• Alloy scuff plates
• Electro-chromatic interior mirror
• Power adjustable steering column
• Leather-accented steering wheel with paddles
• Steering wheel heating (new to UX)
• 8-way power-adjustable front seats with 2-way driver lumbar adjust
• Front seat heating and ventilation
• Rear outboard seat heating (new to UX)
• 10.3-inch multimedia display with satellite navigation8
• 7.0-inch driver display
• Apple CarPlay®2 and Android Auto™3 compatibility
• DAB+ digital radio
• 13-speaker Mark Levinson®1 audio system
• 2x front USB ports, 2x rear USB-C ports, 1x Aux, 12V ports
• Wireless charger4
• Lexus Safety System+5
o Pre-Collision Safety System with Pedestrian/Daytime Cyclist Detection
o All-speed Radar Active Cruise Control
o Lane Trace Assist
o Road Sign Assist
o Automatic High Beam
• Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert5
• Parking Support Brake with Obstacle & Vehicle Detection5
• Tyre Inflation Warning System
• Front & rear parking sensors
• 8 SRS airbags
• Antitheft system
UX 300e Sports Luxury highlights
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Tri-beam LED headlamps with dynamic auto-levelling
• LED front turn signals
• Adaptive high beam system5
• Moonroof
• Acoustic front-side glass
• Head-up display
• Panoramic view monitor
• Smooth leather-accented seats
• High-grade finish for door garnish, instrument panel cluster finish & console box cover
• Washi instrument panel stitching6
• 3D-look illumination inside each front air vent bezel
